


Captive Hearts

by Singerme



Category: Gunsmoke
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-03-12
Updated: 2013-03-12
Packaged: 2017-12-05 03:38:54
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 19,438
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/718457
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Singerme/pseuds/Singerme
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The old clock is ticking now<br/>Marks the space between us<br/>Your memory enshrouds my heart<br/>For I am held a captive................Brendan Perry</p><p>Why Kitty really missed Season 20</p>
            </blockquote>





	Captive Hearts

Captive Hearts

I don't own these characters; I just like to spend time with them. No other profit to be had.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"Morning, Matt." Doc greeted the lawman as he entered the office. "Had breakfast yet?"

"No, but I don't have time for it either." Matt answered as he sat on his cot and pulled on his boots. "I just got a wire from Major Higgins out at Fort Dodge. He wants me to come as quick as I can get out there."

"What for?" Doc questioned.

"Well, I don't know. But it sounded urgent so I'll go on out and see what he wants. Hope it don't take too long though. I've got an awful lot paperwork to catch up on here and I need to ride out to Jake Worth's place and deliver papers."

"Seems to me, I heard Company B out of there had gone south after some renegades or something a couple of weeks ago. You figure his wanting to see you has something to do with that?" Doc asked.

"I don't see how it could, Doc." Matt said as he buckled on his gun belt and grabbed his hat on the way out the door. "That's army business, not mine."

**XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**

Major John Higgins sat behind his desk trying to concentrate on the papers before him, even as he knew it was a futile effort. Rubbing his hands across his face and his short gray hair he sighed, thinking of what was about to take place here today. A sharp rap on his office door sounded and Sergeant Wilfred Clark opened the door. "Major, Marshal Dillon is here."

Standing, Higgins nodded. "Show him in, Sergeant." He commanded. "And bring the captive here. But give me a few minutes. I'll need to speak to the Marshal first."

"Yes, Sir," Clark said stepping back out of the door way. "Marshal," Higgins heard him say. "Right in here, please."

A moment later, Matt Dillon filled the doorway, a confused look on his face. "John," Matt greeted his friend. "What's up? I got an urgent wire asking me to come out right away. Something wrong?"

Major Higgins came around his desk and shook hands with the Marshal, before settling himself against the front of his desk. "Have a seat, Matt." He indicated the small couch against the wall. "I have something I need to tell you."

"I'd just as soon stand, if you don't mind." Matt told him, still perplexed at why he'd been summoned.

"Suit yourself," Higgins sighed, "but I really think you'll want to be sitting down."

Matt was now even more puzzled but did as suggested and took a seat. "Alright, I'm sitting. Now do you want to tell me what this is all about?"

Crossing his arms in across his chest, the major leaned back and studied his friend intently for a second. He saw the deep lines the years of being Marshal had etched into his face and was afraid his news would etch even more. Finally he cleared his throat and spoke.

"Matt, about two weeks ago, a detail from here was sent down south to round up a band of renegades we had reports on. When they got there, they discovered it was more than what we thought. They encountered a very large band of renegades. It was a pretty tough fight, but in the end we cleaned them out."

Matt's brow crinkled in confusion as to why this would be his concern. "Correct me if I'm wrong," he said, "but isn't that the army's job?"

"Yes, yes it is." Higgins agreed as straightened up and began pacing, clasping his hands behind his back. "It's also our job to rescue and return any captives we encounter in such excursions to their families if possible."

"Okay," Matt still could see no reason for involving him in this.

"When the fighting was over," Higgins continued, "and the renegades were either dead or arrested, we found several such captives, Matt. Five Mexican women, seven Indian woman from different tribes and two white women. They just arrived here early this morning before I wired you."

Higgins paused and glanced over at the still puzzled face of the Dodge City law man. "We will do our best, of course, to find the families of these women and reunite them. But I fear it will be an impossible task. Most of those women may never be returned to where they belong."

"John," Matt gained his feet in frustration. "Look, I'm sorry for the plight of those women and if there's anything I can do to help you find their families then let me know. But I've got a lot of work waiting on me back in Dodge and I fail to see what was so urgent for me to ride out here."

"I know, Matt." The major said, "And I truly did not bring you out here to waste your time. But I felt it extremely important that you came out here."

"Why?" Matt asked. "Look, John, what ever is going on, just tell me."

Major Higgins took a deep breath and fixed his friend with a penetrating stare. "One of the white women that we rescued was from Dodge City, Matt. She was taken about a year ago."

Searching his memory, Matt could think of no one, no women at least, who had disappeared from Dodge a year ago. No one other than…. His mind would not let him go there. It couldn't be her. She left him for New Orleans or maybe San Francisco. It couldn't be her.

A sharp rap was heard at the door.

"Come in," Higgins called.

Sergeant Clark opened the door wide before stepping out of the way to allow the woman beside him to enter.

Hesitantly, Kitty entered the room. Staring at Matt, she tried to smile but couldn't control the quivering of her lips. "Hello, Matt." She finally managed.

TBC

**Author's Note: I've never bought the theory that Kitty finally got tired of waiting for Matt and just suddenly packed up and left for New Orleans after all she'd been through to be with him. And I refuse to even acknowledge the existence of those horrendous movies. So this is just a (perhaps poor) attempt to explain what might have happened when Kitty disappeared from Dodge.**

**Also, I did absolutely no research into the subject of renegades or captives. So if I got something wrong….. OH WELL.**

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Staring at the woman he had assumed left him, Matt wished, for a moment, that he had remained sitting. His knees grew weak as his heart raced and a slight sheen of sweat appeared on his brow. "Kitty," he managed as he tugged his hat off in respect. Pale, thin and haggard looking she was still the most beautiful woman he thought he had ever seen.

"I'm going to leave you two to talk," Higgins said as he swiftly moved towards the door.

Neither man nor woman responded as they stared at each other.

Shaking his head, Higgins exited the office and closed the door the softly behind him.

"What do you think, Sir?" Clark asked, tipping his head towards the door.

Higgins sighed. "I don't know, Sergeant," he said. "I just don't know."

The sound of the closing door broke the trance the two seemed to be in and Matt immediately stepped back. "Well, uh… here.. uh.. have a seat." He stepped away from the couch so that she could sit down.

"Thank you," she mumbled. She settled herself down and looked back up at Matt. Though he would always be, to her, the most handsome man in the world, she could tell the past year hadn't necessarily been good to him.

"You're looking good, Matt." She said. "Guess things are going well for you." She couldn't seem to organize her thoughts well enough to say anything else.

Matt thought to reply the same, but realized what poor taste a comment like that would be. Instead he nodded, his heart in his throat. What was he supposed to say, to do? Finally, "I didn't know, Kitty." He said sadly, softly. "I didn't know. If I had of…"

"I know, Matt." She stopped him. "I… I…" she bit her bottom lip and tried again. "I was going to spend some time in Ballard, with Claire. Kinda clear my head a little, you know? When you came back and pinned that badge back on and your arm still wasn't good…" She looked at him earnestly. "I was coming back, Matt. I wasn't leaving for good. I promise you that."

Nervously she rose and paced towards the window. "Hannah had been after me for a while to buy into the Long Branch so I thought it was perfect timing. I'd let her run the place while I just took a breather from…."

She took a ragged breath. "The stage was held up; the driver and the only other passenger were killed. They took me." She looked down. She wasn't sure what she would see in his face and not sure she wanted to know. "My fault, I suppose, for not telling anyone where or when I was going."

"Kitty,…" Matt started but the door opened and the Major stepped back in.

Seeing the looks on their faces he ducked his head. "I'm sorry," He apologized. "If you all need more time…."

"No," Matt said quickly then looked back over at Kitty. "Look, I.. uh…I'll go on back to Dodge and make arrangements at the Dodge House for a room there for you and then come on back here and pick you up in a wagon. Okay?"

Desperately trying not to cry, Kitty shook her head refusing to meet his gaze. "You don't have to do that, Matt. I.. I know you're busy. I'll be fine here until I figure something out. That is as long as it's okay with Major Higgins."

"Certainly," the Major agreed. "I'm sure we can accommodate you for a while, Miss Russell."

Matt stood, nervously running his hand around the brim of his hat. "Well, then…I guess I'd better get on back to Dodge."

Kitty kept her back to him and simply nodded. 'Good bye, Matt." She said softly.

Matt turned for the door, but something in the way she stood there, framed in the window with the sunlight setting her hair on fire, stilled him. She looked so much like the picture he had kept in the back of his mind for the past year.

Turning to the major, he jerked his head to the outer office. "Major, you want to give us a minute?"

"Sure," he smiled encouragingly to the lawman and left, once again closing the door behind him.

Throwing his hat onto the major's desk, Matt took two strides and crossed the room, pulling Kitty into his arms, holding her tightly to his chest. "Look, Kitty. Don't do this. You belong in Dodge, not an army fort."

Kitty sagged against him, finally letting the tears and her weakness show. "Oh, Matt." She sobbed.

"Sssshhhh." He whispered. "We're gonna work it out, Kitty. I promise you we will. But first," he pushed her back slightly so he look at her, "first we have to get you back to Dodge. You need to come home, Kitty."

Kitty stiffened slightly, looking up through her tears. "Do I still have a home?"

Matt knew what she was asking. It wasn't a physical place she was referring to. "Let's get you back to Dodge." He answered with a sigh. "We'll figure it out from there."

More than anything, Kitty wanted to say yes. She wanted to be back in the safety and security of the world she knew in Dodge. But she couldn't. Too much had happened in the previous year.

Shaking her head, she finally pulled away from his embrace. "I can't, Matt." She said, feeling a little dizzy, her stomach suddenly convulsing in cramps. "I think its better that I stay here for now."

Making an effort to distance her self from the temptation of his arms she straightened and started for the door. But her steps faltered and she began to fall, clutching tightly to her stomach.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXX**

As Kitty began to fall, Matt reached out, catching her. "John, John." he called frantically. As the door opened and Higgins and Clark entered, Matt scooped her up and moved over to the couch, gently laying her down.

"What happened?" Major Higgins asked when he came in the room.

"I don't know; she just starting falling. Is your Surgeon here?" He asked.

"No, he died in the raid. But I'll send for Doctor Adams from town." Clark answered rushing from the office to affect the summons.

Major Higgins knelt beside the stricken woman and gently patted her cheek. "Miss Russell?" But she gave little response as she grasped her stomach crying out. "I'll get some water," he said as he stood. "She feels like she's got a temperature."

Matt sat down on the edge of the couch next to Kitty. She was too pale. "Kitty, honey."

"Matt, go away." She gasped. "Please, go…..away…"

"Kitty, I'm not going anywhere. Now you just take it easy, okay?"

Kitty pushed his hand away and turned to her side. She was in too much misery to do much more.

The door opened and Higgins stepped back in. "Clark sent a wire to Dodge asking Doctor Adams to come here as quickly as possible." Higgins said glancing at Matt as he carried in a bowl with water and a cloth. "You want me to….."

"No," Matt shook his head. "Hand it to me." As he gently pulled her onto her back and wiped her brow with the cool wet cloth, he spoke softly to her, soothingly. 'It's alright, Kitty. Just relax a little. It's going to be alright."

When she finally settled down and seemed to be breathing easier, Matt put the cloth down and bent close. "Kitty, Doc's on his way. Now I want you to just lie here and rest. Okay?"

"I'll… be fine." She insisted. "Just… go on. I don't need... Doc."

Matt could see how big a lie that was but thought it better not to argue. "You just rest."

Getting up, he stepped away and pulled Higgins into the other room. "Was she hurt when your men raided that camp?"

"I don't know," Higgins answered truthfully. "There was no report of it, but to be honest if she didn't complain of any injury, I doubt anyone would've checked. With the surgeon dead, there weren't any really qualified medical personnel out there. All of the injured, that we knew of anyway, were taken to a nearby town down there for treatment and then everyone else was brought here."

Both men looked up when Clark reappeared. "Major, I received a reply from Dodge. Doctor Adams is tied up there and can't come. He suggested we bring the patient to town."

Major Higgins looked over at Matt. "Ride'll probably be pretty bumpy but it'll be the quickest way to get her some help."

Matt swallowed hard. "We'll need a wagon and some hay or something to cushion the ride."

"Clark, get that arranged as quickly as possible." Higgins ordered.

"Yes, Sir." Clark disappeared again, rushing to make the arrangements.

Matt walked back into the Major's office and sat quietly down beside Kitty. He had never been at such a loss. For a solid year now he'd thought Kitty left him. That she had abandoned him and their life together. Now looking down at the frail woman beside him, he decided it was he who had abandoned her.

When he had found that she had taken the stage from town, he had been concerned but he convinced himself that as soon as she calmed down and thought about it, she would return. But she didn't return and even though he more than once wanted to go after her, something always came up to stop him. Something called his badge.

Higgins pulled up a chair beside the couch. "I swear, Matt. She said absolutely nothing about not feeling well. If she had of….."

"I know, John, I know." Matt forestalled his apology. "She wouldn't have. She never complained when she was sick or not feeling well. She just always…"

Kitty opened her eyes and looked angrily at the worried men beside her. "I'm not… dead, you know, so please don't talk… about me like I am. I just got... a little sick to my stomach."

"How do you feel now?" Matt asked her seeing the answer clearly in her face.

"I'm alright," Kitty tried to sit up, but grabbing at her middle she rethought that plan for a second. "Just a little… lightheaded is all. Guess I missed a couple of meals."

"By the looks of you, it was more than just a couple." Higgins replied. "It doesn't matter though, Miss Russell. I've sent Sgt. Clark after a wagon and we're going to get you into town, so that Dr. Adams can take a look at you."

"No," Kitty protested loudly. "I don't need… a doctor, I'm fine. Honest." Pushing Higgins back, Kitty pulled herself up and tried to rise, only to clutch her stomach and cry out, rolling to her side as misery overtook her again. "Oh, God," she groaned. "Oh, not now."

Matt gently reached down, pulling Kitty close. "Kitty, hang on. Honey, come on, it's going to be okay."

Kitty didn't, couldn't, reply as she was rocked by wave after wave of agony.

Clark reappeared at the door, his eyes growing wide at the woman writhing helplessly on the couch. "The wagon's ready, Sir." He swallowed hard.

"Let's get her to the wagon," Higgins ordered. But as Sgt. Clark stepped forward, Matt pushed him back. Reaching down, he tenderly picked her up and swiftly left the office carrying her outside.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

While Sgt. Clark urged the horses into as fast a pace as they'd go, Matt sat in the back of the wagon, holding tightly to Kitty. She had lost her battle with consciousness as he carried her out and she now lay limp and unmoving in his arms. Only by placing his hand on her chest, was he able to detect any sign of life.

Racing full speed into Dodge, Sgt. Clark pulled the wagon into the small alley by the bottom of Doc's stairs and brought it to a halt. Jumping out he ran to the back to help but Matt had already climbed down and was pulling Kitty into his arms. "I'll get the Doctor." The Sergeant offered.

"Just go on up ahead and get the door," Matt told him. Hurrying towards the stairs, he swiftly climbed to the top, his precious charge cradled tightly in his arms.

Having heard the commotion outside, Doc was waiting at the top, looking down curiously at Matt, wondering who he could possible be bringing up. It wasn't until Matt had nearly reached the top that Doc recognized the woman in Matt's arms. "Kitty!" He gasped. "Oh, my God. Matt? What...?"

"She's unconscious, Doc." Matt told him as he brought her in. "I don't know what's wrong with her though. She was holding onto her stomach before she passed out."

"Take her to the back room." Doc ordered. "I've got Pete Wells on the table."

Matt nodded and entered the bedroom, gently laying her on the bed. Glancing down at her face, she looked even paler, if that were possible, then when he'd first seen her.

"Go on, Matt." Doc came up beside him and pushed him towards the door. "Get on out of here and let me check her out."

"No," Matt said stubbornly his eyes never leaving Kitty's pale, drawn face. "No. I'm staying here."

"Matt," Doc placed his hand on the big man's arm, drawing his attention. "Please, go. I'll let you know as soon as I check her out but for right now, go and let and me do my job. You can't help her but I can."

"Marshal," the sergeant called from the front room. "I need to get back to the fort but I do have a question for you."

Matt took a deep breath and looked back down at Kitty. He didn't want to leave her but he knew he could do her no good. "I'll be right out here," he reluctantly told Doc. Taking another look at Kitty, he turned and left, pulling the door closed behind him. "What is it you needed, Sergeant?" Matt asked sharply when he turned to face him.

Clark glanced over at the man lying on the exam table, and assured that he was unable to hear him, looked up at Matt. "I… I just wondered… well, that is to say, I…"

"What?" Matt snapped, not trying to hide his irritation.

"What do you think we should do with Miss Russell's baby?" The Sergeant asked.

**XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**

Back inside the bedroom, Doc carefully checked Kitty's pulse and heart rate before removing her clothes to give her a more thorough examination.

He was aghast at the marks he saw on her body. Some of them, older ones, he recognized. The scars from two bullet wounds and her abuse at the hands of Jude Bonner. But there were newer scars, marks and bruises that tore at his heart just to see them. "Oh God, honey. Oh, my girl." He whispered.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Matt swallowed hard and stared at the sergeant curiously. "Her baby?" His eyes traveled over to the door that hid her from his view.

"Yes, Sir." Clark answered. "The other white female captive was looking after her while Miss Russell was visiting with you. Ah, I'm sure she won't mind taking care of her for a while longer but… well…"

"A little girl?" Matt asked absently, his mind trying to absorb the information he had just been given.

"Yes, Sir." Clark answered. "Pretty little ol' thing. Of course she's awful small for a seven month old but she's awful healthy." Clark glanced uneasily at the bedroom door. "I guess Miss Russell took better care of the baby then she did herself."

The wheels began to turn and Matt began to calculate the timing. Kitty had been with the renegades for the year she'd been missing from Dodge. If the baby was seven months old….. Matt looked again at the door then back at the Sergeant. "Let me tell Doc where I'm going then I'll come with you and get the baby. We have someone here who can take care of her."

The Sergeant nodded. "I'll be waiting down by the wagon, Sir."

As he left, Matt softly opened the bedroom door and called to Doc, not sure he should or even could enter. "Doc."

Doc pulled a sheet up to Kitty's chin and patted her hand. Sighing deeply, he stood and walked to the door.

"How is she?" Matt asked.

"She's still unconscious. I'm doing all I can." Doc answered. He wasn't sure he should tell Matt anything specific at this point. Not without Kitty's permission.

Matt licked his lips and swallowed hard again. "I've got to ride back out to the fort but I'll be back as quickly as I can. Will she… is she…"

"I'm going to do all I can, Matt." Doc answered. "You go on. She'll be here when you get back."

Matt nodded, donned his hat and left.

Doc stepped across the front room and quickly checked on a still sleeping Pete, before going across to his medicine cabinet and pulling out a few things he would need for Kitty. Returning to the room, he set his bag and supplies next to the bed before crossing to the dresser to wash his hands.

"I'm going to lose it, aren't I?" came a frail, weak voice from the bed.

Turning, Doc saw Kitty was conscious and struggling to sit up. "Here now." He said, rushing to her side. "You just lay back there, young lady. I don't want you moving."

"What difference does it make," she asked. "I'm right, aren't I? I'm losing the baby?"

Doc nodded and slowly sank down on the bed beside her. "I think so, honey. But I don't want you to worry. I'm here and I'm going to take good care of you. We're going to get through this together."

"Where's Matt?" She asked, glancing around the oh so familiar room, she thought she'd never see again.

"He had to go back out to the fort for something. He should be back here before too long." Doc answered as he checked her pulse and listened to her heart. "How's the cramping?"

"It hurts." She replied simply. "But that doesn't matter. Nothing matters much anymore."

"Kitty…" Doc started.

"Doc, am I gonna die?" Kitty asked suddenly.

Looking into her pale, worn face he could tell she was serious. "No!" he declared. "I.. I don't think I can do anything about the baby, but I can about you. Now you believe that, you hear me? You just believe that."

Kitty nodded. "Okay." She groaned as another strong cramp rocked her small frame and she rolled to the side holding tightly to Doc's hand.

"You just hang in there, honey." Doc said, trying valiantly to place his personal feelings aside in order to be the physician she now needed. "You just hang in there. It's going to be alright."

Kitty nodded as the pain eased some and her doctor sat beside her, praying his words were true ones.

**XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**

Matt stood pensively in John Higgins office while Clark went after the child, he now more than suspected, was his.

"Matt, I don't know what to say about all of this." John said, watching his friend pace nervously. "If we'd known she was ill…."

"It's not your fault," Matt assured him. "Kitty's stubborn. She wouldn't have said anything. She…" He stopped when the door opened and a young woman entered, carrying a small bundle. Though Matt was no good at guessing ages, the woman looked no more than 25 with dark blond hair and green eyes that regarded him intently as she entered.

Looking at the two men in the office, she glanced down at the baby and then back at Matt, as if reassuring herself of something. Looking once again at the big man in front of her, she nodded. "She's yours alright. Kitty said there was a strong resemblance."

"Ma'am?" Matt asked stepping forward to look at the tiny little girl wrapped up in blankets.

The woman thrust the child forward into Matt's arms when he came close. "Her name's Emma Rose." She told him. "She's small but she's healthy. Kitty took a lot of abuse to make sure of that."

Matt didn't immediately reply, but the baby did. Wriggling in his grasp she opened her eyes and grinned up at the big man holding her, gurgling happily as she kicked her feet beneath the covers.

Peering down into the tiny face of the infant he held, Matt noted how much she looked like Kitty. Blue eyes, rosebud mouth, perfectly shaped nose. But he also noticed, long fingers and a firm jaw line and reddish brown ringlets.

"How is Kitty?" The young woman asked, taking in the expression on the big man's face.

"She was with Doc when I left." He answered not able to pry his eyes from the child he held. His child, he now knew for a certainty. "He'll take good care of her."

"It'll be the first time in a year someone's done that." The woman replied with the hint of an edge to her voice. "I hope it won't be the last." She said catching Matt's eye.

Matt nodded. "It won't be, Ma'am. Not if I've got anything to say about it. It won't be at all."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

The ride back to town was a strange one for the Dodge City Marshal, as he cradled his daughter in his strong arms and watched her with awe. He had held babies before, of course. But they were always someone else's children, never his own.

There had been a period of time in his life that he had contemplated putting his badge up and asking Kitty to marry him. And during that time he had allowed himself the precious image of them having children and what it would feel like to hold them in his arms. But he realized now, his fantasy hadn't come close to how it really felt.

Looking down at the cherubic face of his little girl, Matt thought about her mother. Oh what she must've gone through to have her in a camp of evil men with evil intentions. The woman, who had identified herself as Carolyn Horton, had said Kitty had taken a lot of abuse to protect the baby.

Matt's heart broke at that thought. And once again the guilt crept in on his careworn mind. "If only I'd gone after her." He kept telling himself. "If only….." But he knew 'if onlys' weren't going to help anything now.

When he arrived back in Dodge, he made his way straight back up to Doc's office. Holding his baby girl securely against his chest he ascended the stairs hurriedly, praying the entire way he would find Kitty better than when he had left.

Doc wasn't in the front office when he stepped in, only Pete. "Hello, Marshal." The sick man greeted him. "Doc's in the other room with another patient."

"How are you doing, Pete?" Matt asked. He still had no idea what the man was there for.

"Oh, I'm alright." Pete replied. "Doc had to take out my appendix. Said I was going to be down for a while but I'll be okay. What's that you got there?" he nodded towards the small cloth wrapped bundle Matt was holding so carefully.

For a moment, Matt was stuck as how to reply. Never one given to discussing or even referring indirectly to his private life he was reticent to say. But looking down at the beautiful little girl he held, he refused to deny her. "It's my daughter." He said softly. "Her name's Emma Rose."

Pete's shock was evident on his face as he stared at the man he had known for years and knew to be the most reticent of all people to even mention his personal relationships. Knowing Miss Kitty had been gone a year and not knowing that she had been brought in, he was confused as to how Matt could've suddenly had a child. As far as Pete knew, the Marshal had never even glanced at another woman after Miss Kitty left.

"Your daughter, huh?" he said with some wonder in his voice. "Sure is a little thing."

"Yeah," Matt confirmed. "But she's all there and awful pretty." 'Just like her mother.' He thought.

Just then the bedroom door opened and Doc came in. Seeing Matt standing there with a baby in his arms was a bit surprising.

"How is she?" Matt qickly stepped to his side.

"What's that you have there?" Doc returned, not wanting to discuss Kitty's condition in front of his other patient and still not quite sure how to tell Matt everything.

"It's my daughter," Matt answered without thinking about it. Somehow it felt right to say that. He didn't notice the astonishment on the physicians face. "And you didn't answer my question. How is she?"

Doc stood stock still for several minutes. Glancing over at his other patient, Doc grabbed Matt's arm and ushered him outside onto the stoop. "What do you mean your daughter?"

"My daughter." Matt repeated. "Mine and Kitty's. And you STILL haven't told me how she is."

Doc looked around to make sure no one was near enough to hear Matt's raised voice. "Matt," he scrubbed his mustache, "I know you're worried about her and I can see your happy about that baby but I don't really think we need to let the cat out of the bag to the rest of Dodge, do you?"

Matt took a deep breath and shook his head. "Sorry, Doc. Guess you're right. Too late for that cat though. I've already told Pete that Emma here is mine."

Doc looked strangely at the stoic and usually tightlipped Marshal. "You did?"

"I may be a lot of things, Doc." Matt said seriously. "But I'm not such a heel as to deny my own flesh and blood."

Doc grinned at the tough lawman as he gently held the little girl in his arms, cooing softly. "Emma?"

"Lady at the fort that was taking care of her for Kitty, told me her name was Emma Rose. I figure that's too long a name right now for such a little one, so I'm just calling her Emma." Matt proudly proclaimed as he looked fondly upon the child that up till today he didn't even know existed.

"She sure is a pretty little thing." Doc said as he warmly looked down on the infant, Matt held so carefully. "Looks like Kitty."

"Yes, she does," Matt agreed. "But please answer my question. How's Kitty?"

Doc plowed his hands into his pockets, sighed deeply and looked away for a moment before looking back at Matt. He wasn't sure just exactly what he should tell him. But he found the answer in Matt's face as he stared back at him.

"She had a miscarriage, Matt. She was about three months along."

"Is she… she didn't…" Matt couldn't form the words.

"NO!' Doc instantly reassured him. "No, Kitty's resting comfortably right now. She's weak and it's going to take a while to build her back up but she's going to be just fine."

Matt released the air he'd been holding and clutched his newfound daughter even tighter. "Can I see her?"

Swiping his mustache, Doc scratched the back of his head and shrugged. "I guess so. Just be quiet and don't disturb her. I want her to have all the rest she can get. From the looks of her, she hasn't had too much of that, or anything else, for some time."

Nodding, Matt followed Doc back inside and stepped over to the bedroom door. Glancing at his friend, Matt opened the door and stepped into the room, crossing over to the bed.

Kitty was lying peacefully. Worry and fatigue momentarily erased from her still beautiful face. Gingerly, Matt sat on the bed beside her, nestling his daughter in his lap and reaching for Kitty's hand with his own.

For the longest time, he sat silently and still, watching her. He didn't know what was going to happen or how they were going to work things out, but right then he didn't care. The woman who had always held his heart, and still did, was home.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Kitty woke late that evening, groggy and confused. It was several minutes before she remembered she was in Doc's office, in his bed. The baby, she hadn't wanted and yet grieved for, gone.

Looking about, her heart skipped a beat as she saw Matt sitting in a chair by her bedside. Though the lighting in the room was dim, she could tell he was awake and watching her. "Hi," she said uncertainly.

A smile lit his face and he sat up, swiftly crossing over to sit beside her on the bed. "How are you feeling?" he asked.

Kitty took a moment before answering. "Tired," she conceded. "What time is it?"

"Late," Matt answered. "About midnight, I think."

Kitty nodded, glanced around the room and resolutely began to push the bedcovers from her body, attempting to get up. "I've got to go back to the fort." She said, trying not to show just how much pain she was in right then.

Matt pushed her back down into the bed. "You can't go anywhere, Kitty. You're too weak. Besides, there's nothing out there for you. Your home and our baby are right here in Dodge."

Kitty froze at his words and looked up at him, shocked at what he'd said. "You…what? You know about…about Emma?" She asked. "Where is she?"

Matt broke out into a grin. "She's at Ma Smalley's. She's safe and she's perfectly fine." He told her. "And yes, I know. Sgt. Clark told me she was seven months old and your friend Carolyn Horton said you told her that Emma was mine."

Kitty looked away unable to any longer meet his gaze. "She was the reason, I left." She whispered. "I knew you didn't want children. I knew you didn't want to be tied down. When I realized I was pregnant, I couldn't think of what else to do."

She finally raised her eyes to his. "I was going to tell you but then you got shot and it didn't seem the right time and then you took off and well..." She sighed, clearly distressed at the memory.

"Kitty," Matt tried. "You don't have…"

"When you came back, I decided I would tell you then." She continued. "But then you put that badge back on and I realized that not much had changed other than you would then be in even more danger with your arm the way it was. I was so confused, worried, hurt. That's another reason I left. I thought if I could just get away for a while… I didn't intend to stay gone, Matt. I just… I was going to come back."

Tears began to pool in her eyes and she turned away from him. "I'm sorry, Matt." She sobbed quietly. "I ruined…."

"Kitty, no!" Matt all but gasped. "You didn't ruin anything. Good God, honey. You were the one hurt in all this. The guilt is mine. I'm the one that pushed you into leaving." Matt reached down and pulled her gently into his arms, hugging her to him as he had his daughter earlier. "Sshh. It's alright." He tried to soothe her. "It's alright, Kitty. You're home now. We'll figure it all out."

Kitty stiffened though and pulled away from him. "I can't, Matt." Fresh tears replaced the ones already shed. "If he finds me here… I…. I can't."

"He? What are you talking about?" Matt asked, seeing stark terror replace the sadness in her eyes as she spoke of whoever this 'he' was.

"It doesn't matter." She turned away, sorry she had said anything.

"It does too, Kitty." Matt gently cupped her chin and turned her face back to look at him. "Who is 'he'?"

"Wade Dawson." She finally whispered, irrationally afraid that by saying his name aloud it would summon him out of the darkness. "He…. he's the man that…. that….." she couldn't bring herself to tell Matt all the things he had done to her over the past year. All the things she had let him do, in order to protect her daughter, hers and Matt's. "He got away in the raid."

For several seconds, Matt sat stiffly beside her before pulling her back to him. He knew the name Wade Dawson. Every lawman within every state, in and around Kansas, knew the name and most of them feared it. The dastardly villain of every living soul on the prairie.

He and his band of cutthroats had wreaked havoc in five different states. Though several penny dreadful's had drawn him as a dashing handsome man with fair hair and clear blue eyes, Matt had no real idea what he really looked like.

Holding Kitty, feeling her tremble in his embrace, he realized she knew more about the man than just how he looked.

"I don't want you to worry about Wade Dawson." He kissed the top of her head as he gently rubbed her back. "He's never going to touch you or even come near you again. Understand?"

Kitty didn't reply. She wanted so badly to believe him but a year's worth of experience had taught her differently. She was afraid when Dawson learned where she was, he would come for her. And no one, not even Matt, would be able to stop him from killing her or worse, Matt and her baby.

Matt sensed she didn't quite believe him and he gently pushed her back making certain she met his gaze. "I mean it, Kitty." He said sharply. "You are home now and you are safe. I promise you."

Slowly, Kitty nodded. She knew Matt meant what he said. But she knew the man who had raped and tortured her for the last year and for the first time, she was afraid, that Matt just might be the weaker of the two.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

The next morning Matt rode back out to the fort after stopping at Ma Smalley's and checking on his daughter.

"She sure is a pretty little thing," Ma gushed as she gazed at the infant while he held her close. "Of course she's small, but I'll get her fattened up in no time."

Matt ducked his head. "I'd appreciate that Ma. And I'd also appreciate it if you'd keep her identity secret for a while until I can get some things straightened out. I think she's been exposed to enough danger for a while."

Ma nodded. "I will Marshal, if you'll answer me a question."

Matt shrugged. "What do you want to know?"

"When are you going to put that badge away and marry Miss Kitty?"

Matt looked down, a blush slowly creeping across his face. "Ma..."

"It's not just her now, Marshal, and you know it. I think it's wonderful that you don't deny this little one is yours but that's not good enough. She deserves a mother _and_ a full time father. And Miss Kitty certainly deserves better. They need you to take care of them. You can't do that as long as you walk around being a target for every…."

"MA." Matt raised his voice and his hands, gaining her attention. "Right now, I have to stop the man that hurt Kitty. But when I do, I assure you, Kitty and I will be making some decisions about that. My daughter will not lack a father."

That conversation ran through Matt's head while he rode out to the fort. Could he give up the badge? He'd thought about it a few times but had never really done it, or at least not for long. But then again he never had a reason like this one.

Arriving at the fort he was shown into John Higgins office and given coffee while the two discussed Wade Dawson.

"Matt, I'm glad to hear Miss Russell is doing better. I wasn't too sure about things when you carried her out of here."

"Me neither," Matt said. "But Doc seems to think, physically, she'll be alright. But I need to find this Dawson and stop him to make sure she stays that way."

Higgins sighed. "I wish I knew where Dawson was, Matt. My men would have him roasting on a spit if I did. But truth is, he and Emelio Chavez slipped away somehow during the fighting and got completely away. If it hadn't been for Miss Horton he would've taken Miss Russell with him."

Matt looked up startled. "What?"

"She didn't tell you?" Higgins asked watching his friend closely.

"We didn't have much chance to talk, John. She did tell me Dawson got away but…" he sighed and looked down. "She didn't go into too many details and I didn't press her. She's a little sick for me to put her through that right now."

John nodded. "From what I understand, as soon as the fighting started, Dawson and Chavez ducked for cover and started running. Dawson, though, grabbed Miss Russell, and her child, and was trying to pull them away with him. Miss Horton managed to hit him hard enough to make him let go then grabbed Miss Russell by the hand and pulled her and the baby towards safety while Dawson took off in the opposite direction."

Matt looked at the Major. "John, have you talked to Miss Horton and the other captives. They may have an idea where Dawson is or where he might head to at least."

John shook his head. "I've talked to them, but they couldn't tell me anything. Miss Horton said he headed north out of the camp but Matt, he knows that area down there. He could've doubled back or gone anywhere. The other captives, as well as the prisoners we took, either don't know or won't tell and I doubt there's anything we could do to convince them to talk to us. There's nothing in this world they're more afraid of then Wade Dawson."

Matt nodded in agreement, but he wasn't quite yet ready to give up. "Can I talk to them?" he asked. "Or at least Miss Horton since she was the last to see him?"

Higgins shrugged and stood. Stepping over to his door, he opened it and spoke to the soldier sitting at the desk outside. "They'll go get her and bring her here."

"Thanks, John."

"Not sure what she can tell you that she hasn't already told us though," Higgins said.

"Me neither, but I've got to try." A thought came to him just then, a mutinous thought but an urgent one he couldn't take the chance of ignoring. "John, when she gets here, can I talk to her alone?"

John looked at Matt oddly. "Matt, if she has any information as to where we can locate Dawson, I need to know the same as you."

"I know that, John," Matt told him. "And I also know an army major is a lot more intimidating than a small cow town Marshal. She just might relax a little more with me alone and remember something. You know I'll tell you anything she tells me."

Higgins contemplated the idea for a moment before nodding. "Alright, but anything, anything at all that she tells you, I want to know."

"Alright," Matt agreed just as knock came at the door.

"In," Higgins called.

The door opened and Carolyn Horton was standing outside.

"Come in, Miss Horton." Higgins gently took her by the arm and ushered over to his couch. "Please have a seat."

Carolyn looked questionably at both of the men before slowly sinking down on the seat. "What is it you wanted with me?" she asked in a wary tone.

"Miss Horton, the Marshal here has some questions for you. I would appreciate it if you gave him as much information as you can."

Carolyn Horton looked up at both men, appraising them silently before speaking. "I'm afraid I've told you all I can." She sighed as she started to rise.

"Well, maybe you've told the major here," Matt quickly stepped forward. "But you haven't told me. Please? This is important." Looking back at John, Matt tipped his head towards the door. "John, you want to give us a few minutes?"

John hesitated for just a second before reluctantly nodding. "Very well." Turning, he left the office, closing the door firmly behind him.

Matt took a seat next to Carolyn. "Miss Horton, I understand there may be some reticence on your part to tell us anything simply because of the danger Wade Dawson still poses. But I assure you; I will not let him come near you. Now, if you know anything…."

"Marshal," Carolyn said quietly as she cast a wary eye at the door. "If I do know anything, I will not tell it to you while I'm here."

Matt understood. "Miss Horton, would you like to go into town and visit Kitty?"

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Despite Major Higgins assertions that it was unsafe for Carolyn to leave the fort, he finally agreed to the loan of a horse for her, when pressed by Matt. He'd offered a wagon, but she assured him she knew how to ride and perferred to go horseback.

As they left the fort, Matt had the unsettling feeling that they were being watched but, scanning the area, he saw no one and nothing to substantiate that. Glancing over at the woman next him, he saw the same feeling reflected on her face.

"When we round that corner up ahead," Matt told her as he glanced about, "I want you to spur that horse with all you have. Ride fast and keep riding till you're in town. Understand?" He gave no indication to anyone, who may be watching, that he had even said a word.

"I understand," Carolyn said without looking in his direction.

Another quarter of a mile and they had rounded the curve. Carolyn kicked her horse into a gallop and raced down the road as Matt kept his hand close to his gun and followed close behind her.

Two shots rang out. One creased Matt's left arm, the other fell harmlessly short. Racing as fast as their horses could carry them, they made it to Dodge quickly and only reined in once they reached Front Street.

Carolyn looked at Matt's arm. "You need a doctor." She showed little reaction to the drama that had just unfolded on the road behind them.

"I'll be fine." He said. "But we do need to go up to Doc's. I want to check on Kitty and it's the safest place I think of for us to talk."

Carolyn merely nodded as Matt directed them down the street and stopped at the bottom of the stairs leading to the physician's office.

"Rather inconvenient for sick people isn't it?" Carolyn asked looking at the steep flight of steps.

"Makes it harder for people looking to steal drugs or perhaps harm anyone up there." Matt answered. "There's no back door to go in through or out of. They may make the stairs up but I can have them before they make it back down."

Carolyn nodded. "I see."

Matt continued to watch the woman as they ascended the flight of steps. By her bearing and way of speaking he could tell she was a well-educated woman who perhaps came from affluent circumstances. How she ended up as a captive of a band of renegades would be an interesting story.

But there was something more. Except for the few moments that she held Emma in her arms, she had shown absolutely no trace of emotion about anything. Even when being fired upon by whomever it was out on the trail.

Shaking his head Matt held the door for her as they entered the doctor's office. "Doc," he greeted his friend. He noticed Pete was missing. "You send Pete home?"

"Sure did," Doc answered as he finished up the report he was working on. "His wife assured me she will see to it that he stays in bed for a few days." Just then Doc saw the blood on Matt's left sleeve. "Good Lord, what happened to you?"

"I'll tell ya later," Matt answered absently staring at the bedroom door, before remembering his manners. "Doc, this is Miss Carolyn Horton. She was… well… she was…"

"I was a captive with Kitty." Carolyn stepped forward her hand outstretched, casting a sidelong glance at the Marshal.

Doc took her hand in his with a smile. "It's very nice to meet you, Miss Horton. Did you come up to visit with Kitty?"

Carolyn nodded. "That and to escape whoever it was that shot your esteemed Marshal here."

Doc looked sharply at Matt and opened his mouth to ask but Matt stopped him. "Someone took a couple of shots at his on our way here from the fort." He explained. "I have a feeling they were afraid, Miss Horton here, might know something and they didn't want it told. This is about the only place I could think of where it'd be safe to talk."

"Well, do you think they'll come on in town after you?" He asked thinking of Kitty's safety as well as the woman standing before him.

"Nah," Matt shook his head. "I'm not even really sure they were trying to hit us. I think it was more a scare tactic than anything. Hoping maybe they could scare her into being quiet."

"You will find, Marshal," Carolyn said stanchly, "it would take more than a poorly placed shot to frighten me."

Doc nodded as he looked approvingly over at his guest. "Sit down and let me look at that arm, Matt, while you two talk." He noticed the big man's eyes drift back to the bedroom door. "She's asleep right now and I don't want her disturbed. Besides do you really want her to see you hurt?"

Matt shook his head and with a deep sigh, settled himself on Doc's exam table and rolled his sleeve up.

"Miss Horton, why don't you have a seat right here?" Doc pulled his office chair out for her.

As Doc tended to Matt's arm, Carolyn told Matt what she knew. Most of it was of little use to him in finding the fiend that hurt Kitty and countless others. But she did have a bit of information that Matt found quite interesting. "You're saying this Dawson had a contact in the army?"

"I have no proof of that, Marshal," Carolyn rose and stepped over to the stove, tentatively touching the coffee pot to determine its temperature. "May I?" she asked Doc.

Doc nodded. "Certainly," he smiled. "I have some cups right there on the table."

Carolyn took what appeared to be the cleanest of the cracked white mugs and poured herself a cupful of the steaming liquid before returning to her chair. "I never specifically saw Dawson speaking to anyone from the army," She continued. "Nor was I privy to any conversations he may have had with anyone. But I did hear bits and pieces, here and there, which gave me the very strong impression that he knew someone inside who was supplying him with information."

"You mean information of where the army would be and when they would be moving anything of value?" Matt asked, already knowing the answer.

She nodded. "Yes. There was a man there named Chavez, I suppose you would call him Dawson's second in command. He escaped with Dawson. Any way, one day I overheard him telling one of the other men that their contact had just informed them of the location of a wagon load of rifles. Two days later a large group of the men left and returned that night with a wagon load of rifles. Army rifles. There were other incidents, such as that, as well."

Doc finished wrapping Matt's arm and pulled his sleeve back down. "There you go, Matt. Just keep that clean and dry."

"Thanks," Matt answered as he thought about what Carolyn had told him. "That would explain why we were fired upon right after leaving the fort. Did you ever hear any names or anything specific that could pinpoint exactly who that information was coming from?"

She shook her head. "I'm sorry, no. I think it must've been someone in the higher ranks based upon the type of information Dawson received but no names were ever mentioned. Even though we captives were considered to be less than nothing, they still said very little around us. Dawson played everything very close to the vest. He wouldn't even say anything in front of Kitty and she was…." Carolyn stopped. That was Kitty's story to tell, if she chose.

"She was what?" Matt asked unsure that he actually wanted the answer.

Carolyn took a deep breath and rose, placing her coffee cup on Doc's desk. "You will need to speak to Kitty about her time there Marshal. I do not feel at liberty to discuss that with you." She gave Matt a challenging stare.

"Doctor," Carolyn addressed the physician. "I'm certain Kitty is probably still asleep so I will not disturb her at this time. But might I come back later and visit?"

"Of course," Doc answered. "I bet ya Kitty would like that."

Carolyn looked once more at Matt. "I have no funds with which to obtain lodging here Marshal, but as I find it imprudent to return to the fort, I must ask if you have any suggestions of where I might stay."

"I'll take you over to Ma Smalley's." Matt told her. "I think you'll be safe there for now. Doc, I'll be back in just a little bit."

Doc merely nodded as he watched the two walk out.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Carolyn looked about her as they walked down to Ma's intently studying each building they passed.

"See something interesting?" Matt asked as he noted her particular interest in the Long Branch.

"That, I believe, was Kitty's business?" she nodded towards the saloon.

"Still is," Matt said glancing over at the busy enterprise. "Or at least 51 percent of it. Even though we hadn't heard from her, Hannah, her partner, refused to do anything other than what she and Kitty agreed upon. All of Kitty's share of the profits is in an acct over at Botkin's bank."

Carolyn nodded. "Kitty spoke often and fondly of Dodge. Though I've never been here before, I am certain I can tell you a great deal about this town of yours simply from what I learned from Kitty."

Matt smiled sadly. "I don't doubt that. She was an important part of this town. People here really loved her. Things kinda dimmed around here when she left."

"People?"

Matt dropped his head and looked away.

"When she spoke of you, Marshal, it was with more than fondness." Carolyn watched his face as she spoke. "She loves you a great deal."

Matt nodded, unwilling to speak for fear of his voice cracking with the emotions now coursing through him.

Carolyn stopped walking and touched Matt's sleeve. "I really do believe it best that she tell you everything, or at least what she's comfortable with. But you should know that life there for her was very difficult. I don't believe Dawson ever knew exactly who she was, I mean in relation to you, but he seemed to take a perverse pleasure in hurting her. From the moment they brought her into that camp, he claimed her, he …."

She took a deep breath and shook her head as though to clear it of the horrible images still firmly etched into her memory.

"I want you to know that Kitty didn't give in easily to that man. Only when he threatened her daughter did she do as he told her. When she was brought to the camp and he found out she was pregnant, I was certain he would harm the child she carried. He didn't care for children. But when he did not harm her, it surprised me, until I realized he knew it would be the only way to control her. She didn't care for herself as much as she did that baby. She was willing to walk through fire for that child. Your child."

Matt looked away, tears stinging his eyes as he thought of what she must've endured.

"The only other person she would have gone through that for was you." She added softly.

Matt stood staring at the ground for some time, willing himself to hide the feelings currently overwhelming his senses. "Let's get you on over to Ma's." He said gruffly when he finally had control of himself.

After depositing Carolyn into Ma's safekeeping, he made his way quickly over to the jail and changed his shirt. Ma had chided him for his blood stained clothes and stated Miss Kitty had enough to worry over without being concerned with him as well.

With a clean shirt and face and his hair neatly combed, Matt swiftly left the jail and headed back to Doc's. Entering the office, he heard raised voices coming from the bedroom. He had an idea of what kind of battle was taking place behind the door. Stepping across the front room, he opened the door just in time to duck a pillow, originally aimed at Doc.

"Glad to see you're awake," He smiled as he picked the pillow up and returned it to the bed.

"Matt, tell him I need to get out of here." She said glaring at Doc. "I've got a daughter to look after and I can't lie around in this bed. I've got things to do."

"Now you listen here, young lady," Doc growled. "Your daughter is just fine over at Ma's and you are not well enough to get up and go traipsing around town. You lost a lot of very valuable blood yesterday and you're too weak to do anything more than lay there and rest."

"Matt," Kitty pleaded.

But Matt put his hands up. "Sorry, Kitty, but I agree with him. Besides right now this is the safest place for you to be and you know it."

Kitty closed her eyes in frustration and looked away. She had to get out of there. If Dawson or Chavez found her here…. She didn't want to think what they would do to anyone sheltering her. "You don't understand." She mumbled.

"Doc, I hate to ask but could you make some coffee?" Matt asked conveying with just one glance his real intentions.

Wearily, Doc nodded and left the room, closing the door behind him.

Matt sat down on the bed beside Kitty and took her hand. "Kitty," he said.

Stubbornly, she refused to look at him.

Reaching over, he tugged at her chin till she finally turned her eyes towards his. "Kitty, I do understand. You're afraid. You're afraid Dawson will show up here to get you. But you don't have to worry. You're safe here. You should know that."

"But …but he…." her chin quivered as she fought to stave off the tears.

"He's dangerous and he's out there somewhere." He finished for her. "I know. And I also know that to get to you, he's going to have to go through me, Doc, Festus and Newly and a whole host of others. And he's not going to get that far."

"No," she said sadly. "That's just the point, Matt. He…he's already…. I don't matter anymore. But I couldn't stand it if he hurt you or Doc or anyone else to get to me. Don't you see?" As hard as she tried, she could no longer contain the tears and she turned her head away again to let them fall.

Just then Matt did see and the pain of that knowledge was staggering. She was willing to be a target for Dawson, if it meant keeping him from the ones she loved. "Kitty Russell, you listen to me." He said sternly. "You are not going to put a bullseye on your back to protect me or Doc or anyone else. Do you hear me? You've been hurt enough this past year and it's time the hurting stopped."

Kitty continued to sob quietly, her head still turned.

"Damn it, Kitty!" Matt fairly exploded. "I love you, woman, and I am never going to let you get hurt again. Do you understand me? Never."

"OH, Matt." Kitty rose and threw herself into Matt's arms, sobbing inconsolably into his chest.

Hugging her as tightly as he dared, Matt gently rocked her. "I'll stop him, Kitty." He promised. "I will stop him."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Festus and Newly sat solemnly at the small table in the jail office the next morning, listening as Matt told them everything he'd been able to learn about Wade Dawson. "This man is dangerous, boys." Matt said as he paced over to the window. "He'll kill at the drop of a hat and for no reason at all. If he ever gets close to Kitty again…"

"Matthew, we ain't a gonna let that happen." Festus vowed. Looking over at his friend, he saw Newly nodding his head vigorously in agreement.

Festus looked down as he thought of the woman lying now over in Doc's office. The one everyone thought had abandoned her friends and the man she loved. The burden of what had really happened to her weighed heavily on him. "If'n I hadn't been so blame headed stupid my ownself a year ago, she'd a never got took in the first place." He added softly.

Matt looked over gratefully at his friend as he shook his head. "I appreciate what you're trying to do, Festus. But you and I both know you had nothing to with what happened."

"Matthew, I know'd she was a getting' on that there stage. I see'd her do it and I didn't try and stop her. If'n I had of… well…"

"She would've ignored you and gone anyway." Newly put in. "Truth is, Festus, what happened to Miss Kitty wasn't your fault, or the Marshal's or even Miss Kitty's. Wade Dawson held that stage up and kidnapped her and Wade Dawson is responsible for all of what's happened since."

Matt glanced at Newly. He wanted to agree but deep inside the guilt gnawed at him as strongly as it did Festus. If only he'd gone after her, he kept telling himself.

Sighing he turned away from the window and looked at both men squarely. "Right now, the only thing that matters is that we protect Kitty, Emma and Miss Horton and we find that bastard before he can hurt anyone else."

"Where ya want to start, Matthew?" Festus eyed him. He knew all too well how Matthew felt about Miss Kitty and he wasn't about to let the man take off on his own to avenge her.

"Well, I'm not sure." Matt said as he turned to the stove and poured himself a cup of coffee. Taking a sip he started to say something else till the acrid taste practically choked him. "Festus what you'd you put in this?" he asked setting the cup down and pushing it away.

"Wael that there's my Aint Thede's recipe, Matthew." Festus declared. "It takes a heap of doing to make it like that but it shore is something when it gets done."

"I can't argue with that." He grimaced.

"Marshal," Newly brought the conversation back from Festus' attempt at coffee. "Do you suppose the army has any idea where Dawson is? Or would even be willing to send troopers with us to find him?"

"No, Newly." Matt shook his head, crossing his arms against his chest. "As a matter of fact, I'd like to keep the army out of this as much as possible."

"Why, Matthew?" Festus asked. "Ain't they posed to be re-spons-e-ble fer findin' him?"

"No, Festus, they're not. Dawson is a civilian. The army might never have raided that camp at all if it hadn't of been for the large number of Indians Dawson had working for him, as well as the captives. At any rate, responsible or not, I don't want them involved any more than necessary."

"You sound like ya don't trust em', Matthew." Festus glanced over at Newly see affirmation in his dark brown eyes.

Matt sighed and shrugged. "I don't know if I can. Miss Horton told me that she heard different things that led her to believe somebody in the army may have been in cahoots with Dawson. She never heard any names or any specifics though. Still I don't think we can afford to take any chances. So let's not involve the army unless we have to."

"Alright, Marshal." Newly stood up. "Then what do we do? Do you think we should ride back down south to where Dawson had his camp?"

Matt shook his head. "No, I doubt that'd do any good, Newly. He won't hang around there. Besides I have a feeling, he's more likely to come to us."

Festus squinted up at him. "Ya think he's gonna come here after Miss Kitty, do ya?"

'Yeah, I do, Festus. If he does have a contact in the army then he knows by now that she's back here and I don't doubt he'll come here looking for her."

"Then we just sit here and wait for him to come?" Newly crinkled his brow. He didn't like what he was thinking. "You're not thinking of using Miss Kitty as bait for him, are you?"

A small smile lifted the corners of Matt's mouth for a second. "Yes and no." he answered.

Newly and Festus exchanged puzzled looks before turning them on their boss. "Wael, what does that there mean, Matthew?"

"You boys remember the old Martin ranch, south west of town here?"

Both men nodded. "It's been a while since I was there but I member it." Festus rubbed his chin in thought.

"Me too. If I remember correctly, Mr. Martin passed on a couple of years ago and Mrs. Martin sold the place and moved back east." Newly said.

Matt nodded. "That's right. I have an idea we could take Kitty and Emma, as well as Miss Horton, out there and kinda hide them. If Dawson thinks they're here, he'll come here and we'll stand a better chance at getting him without the women being in danger."

"Well, Matthew, how do ya know that new owner'd even let ya on the place? Might be he don't won't no body out there. I know'd I ain't see'd him in town none."

Matt grinned as he stood up and absently picked up his abandoned coffee cup. "Oh you see him every day, Festus. And I can guarantee, he won't have any problem at all with Kitty being out there." He said as he took a drink of the acrid brew in the cup, choking harshly on it.

Newly suddenly understood. "You mean… you own the ranch?"

Matt nodded. Tossing the coffee, he drank a dipperful of water to clear his throat of the horrible brown liquid. "I bought it for …. Well, it's mine. And I think the women would be a lot safer out there then here in town. We'll need to go out and make it ready though. I seldom go out there and the house doesn't have too many furnishings.

"I'll hep you, Matthew." Festus volunteered.

Matt smiled. "Good. Tell ya what, you go down to the stable and get as big a wagon as Hank has and meet me in the alley behind the Long Branch."

"The Long Branch?" Festus questioned.

Matt smiled. "I want Kitty to be comfortable and I'm pretty sure Hannah will help me do that."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Early the next morning, or late that night, depending on how it was viewed, three adults and one tiny baby emerged from Doc's office into the chilly darkness outside. Being one o'clock in the morning, they didn't expect an audience as they descended the stairs and were grateful there was none.

A wagon was waiting below, filled with hay and a tarp. With Doc behind her and Matt, carrying Emma, just in front, Kitty made her way slowly down the stairs. She was still extremely weak and she was still dealing with some pain. But she refused to give in to it and made not a sound as they descended the stairs.

When they reached the bottom, Festus hopped off the seat and run around to the back of the wagon, lifting the tarp to reveal Carolyn Horton already there and waiting.

Helping Kitty up into the bed beside Carolyn, Matt handed her the baby before he and Festus covered them back up with the concealing cover.

No words were spoken by the group of people, none were needed. Silence was their friend at this point. Once the women and the baby were onboard and hidden, Festus and Doc climbed onto the wagon seat as Matt and Newly mounted their horses and they rode quickly out of town.

In the wee hours of the morning, none of the esteemed Dodge City citizens were awake to watch that small drama unfold save a weary, yet curious, freight agent who was working late on a large shipment and wondering why Miss Kitty and another woman were leaving town in such a manner and at such a time.

**XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**

Though only ten miles from town, the trip out to the ranch took some time as the road was rough and they didn't want to stir up a great deal of dust in their wake. Newly's ride out was even longer as he trailed along behind making sure to erase any signs he could see in the bright moon light that would lead to them.

When they arrived at the ranch, Matt quickly dismounted and made his way swiftly to the back of the wagon. Pulling the tarp back, he pulled his daughter into one arm while extending the other to Kitty. As Festus helped Carolyn down, Matt handed Emma to Doc and quickly picked Kitty up, carrying her towards the house. "I was out here earlier," he told her. "Got a fire going in the fireplace. Should be warm in there now."

Kitty merely nodded as she held tightly to his neck. Once inside, Matt carried her into the large bedroom to the right of the fireplace and carefully laid her down on the bed. A very familiar bed. Kitty looked up at Matt in astonishment, the question evident without the words being spoken.

"Hannah let me take it." Matt smiled as he sat down on the bed beside her. "She and Doc and Ma Smalley got together a wagon load of stuff you'll need out here and me and Festus brought it out a few hours ago and set it up. We wanted you to be comfortable."

Kitty could only nod as she lay back on her bed. The bed she had shared with Matt for so many years. "Thank you," she finally mumbled.

"I think it's about time you got some sleep, young lady." Doc said from the doorway as he walked in, baby tucked securely in his arms. "Since daddy, here, forgot to bring a crib out, this little one's going to have sleep with her mama. That okay?"

Kitty nodded with a half smile. "Yeah."

Matt drank in the sight of Kitty holding his little girl and his heart beat a fast staccato against his chest. Reluctantly, he rose from the bed and stood. "We've got to get back into town," he told her. "I don't want anyone knowing you're out here or wondering where we are. Festus is going to stay here now. Newly will come out later and relieve him and I'll be out after that. But you, Emma and Miss Horton will be safe here."

Kitty nodded as Matt, hat in hand, turned for the door. Pausing at the threshold he turned and looked back. "See ya later, Kitty."

"Bye, Matt."

Doc placed a quick kiss on her forehead before himself turning to leave. "I'll be back out tomorrow, Kitty. You just rest and take it easy. And I don't want you up and running around here. Understand?"

Kitty nodded as he too left and closed the door behind him. Snuggling her child close to her, Kitty sighed. "Oh, baby." She whispered. "What am I going to do?"

In the living room, Matt stood for a moment staring at the closed bedroom door before glancing at the others. "I'll be back out here tomorrow evening," he told Festus. "But Newly should be here before then. Make sure no one comes around here."

"You ain't got no worries here, Matthew." Festus told him. "I aim to keep my eyes peeled fer anythin' what don't look right. Ain't no body gonna get to Miss Kitty or Miss Carolyn or that little bitty baby in there."

"I appreciate it," Matt gave him a half smile as he turned to Carolyn. "Miss Horton, you'll be safe here. I hope comfortable as well. If you do find that you need anything, just let Festus know before he heads back into town."

Carolyn nodded. "I will, Marshal, and thank you."

"Yes, Ma'am." He replied. Casting one more look at the bedroom he donned his hat, turned and left.

As the door closed behind the departing men, Carolyn glanced over at Festus. "Well, deputy. It's just you and I, it would seem. Do you have any cards on you?"

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

The next evening, Matt sat in a chair near the fire while Kitty reclined on the couch and Carolyn made herself busy in another part of the house. Emma Rose was sitting in his lap happily kicking her feet, a smile lighting her face as she gazed at the man that held her.

Kitty watched the two silently, her heart bursting. She had thought never to be able to see such a sight. "She must really like you." She observed. "She'd usually set up a fuss when a man would hold her back at…" her voice faded at the unwanted memory.

Matt looked over at her sadly. "What you must've gone through." He thought.

Kitty looked over at Matt and understood the expression on his face. Even after a year she hadn't lost the ability to read him. But she had no desire to discuss her captivity as of yet. "Well, I'm tired, Matt." She said as she slowly started to get up. "I think it's time I took Emma and we went to bed."

"I'll take Emma," Carolyn said coming into the room and crossing over to Matt. "You help her." She tossed her head towards Kitty.

"Oh, no." Kitty protested. "I'm fine. I can.." She paused at a twinge in her middle.

Matt stood quickly and stepped to her side. Swinging her up into his arms, he headed towards the bedroom.

"I can walk, you know." Kitty said with the faintest touch of amusement.

"Not around me, you can't." Matt smiled down at her, as he sat her down on the side of the bed.

Kitty smiled back for a moment before ducking her head. "Well, you won't always be around." She said without thinking of how that sounded to Matt. However when she looked up she realized how her words had hit him. "I'm sorry, Matt. I didn't mean it like that. I meant…"

"It's alright, Kitty." He smiled as he took her hand. "I know what you meant. And you're right. But I'm planning on making some changes in that area."

Kitty stared wordlessly at him, not certain as to how to respond. Surely he wasn't saying….. No, she decided. Matt would never quit his job and marry her. She wouldn't ask him to. But still…..

"You lie back down there and get some rest now." He said. "I'll just be in the other room if you need me."

Kitty nodded as she lay back against the pillows and watched him turn and leave, uncertain for the first time since she'd known him, exactly what he was thinking.

Carolyn came over and gently placed the now sleepy baby in the bed beside her mother. "She's just about out." She said softly. "If she stirs you call me. You're still recovering and I don't want you getting up any more than necessary."

Kitty grinned at her. "You been taking lessons from Doc?"

Carolyn returned the grin. "I have a feeling there's a great deal I could learn from that gentleman. Now go to sleep. I'll be out in the living room with the Marshal."

Matt had just placed a few more logs on the fire and was stoking it when Carolyn came in. "I've got some coffee on the stove, Marshal. Like a cup?"

"Thanks." Matt nodded.

Matt watched her as she poured his cup and handed it to him. Curiosity got the better of him. "How'd you end up out here, Miss Horton?"

Carolyn glanced over at him as she poured herself a cup of the steaming liquid. "Call me Carolyn. And do you mean out in the west or in the hands of Dawson?"

"Both I guess." He shrugged.

"Two years ago, I was on my way to Pueblo to take a position as a school teacher." She answered matter of factly. "My abduction was pretty much like Kitty's. I was on a stage Dawson's men held up. They killed the driver, took the cash and kidnapped me. Needless to say I never made to Pueblo. Which reminds me, I wonder if you would send a wire for me back to Boston. I have a brother there, or at least I did. I had promised to wire him when I got to Pueblo. I guess I'm a little late."

"Sure," Matt agreed. "Just give me his name and information. I'll do it tomorrow." He noticed for the first time a tinge of actual emotion when she mentioned her brother.

"Thank you." She said. "You know while I was in that camp, he was the one person I thought the most of. We were the only family either of us had. There were days it was only thinking of him that got me through."

Matt glanced at the bedroom door, thinking again of what both women must've gone through. "Must not've been easy." He remarked studying the floor beneath him.

Carolyn looked up sharply from her coffee. "Being a captive is never easy, Marshal." She answered. "We did what we had to do each day to survive. Different reasons for each of us, I suppose, but the results were the same."

"Different reasons?"

"Kitty and I are strong women, Marshal. We take what circumstances we are given and either turn them to our advantage or, at the very least, survive them. But there are times you don't want to survive them. Times it's too difficult. There were several women that felt that way and they died in that camp. There were some like me that adopted as hard a shell as possible so that nothing penetrated, good or bad.

As strong as Kitty is, she could've been one of those women that didn't make it."

Matt looked up. "Kitty would never…"

"Kill herself?" Carolyn gave a short derisive laugh. "Maybe. Maybe not. I don't know. I do know that she went through more hell than any of us. Dawson claimed her from the moment she stepped foot in that camp. And the women Dawson claimed, were not the lucky ones. He hurt her, Marshal, in many ways. He did things to her…"

Carolyn looked down taking another drink of her coffee before continuing. "I'm not certain I would've survived, Marshal, had I to endure as much as she did. But she had a baby to think about, your baby. And she would do anything for that child. Anything. She fought when she could, but all too often she couldn't."

Matt sat back and dropped his gaze again as the full impact of what Carolyn was saying hit him with the force of a tornado. "Oh, God." he moaned quietly.

"There was no God in that camp, Marshal, only the devil himself in the form of Wade Dawson." She spoke sharply, almost angrily.

But Carolyn's tone softened as she saw the affect her words had on the big man across from her. "I don't know if Kitty will ever tell you everything she went through there. I'm not sure if she could, or if you could stand to hear it. But you do need to understand how difficult it was for her. And you need to be there for her from now on. Emma gave her a reason to survive while we in that camp simply because she knew she was that baby's only real chance. But now Emma has you and Doc and others. Kitty no longer has her daughter's safety as her reason for living. She needs something else, Marshal. She needs you."

Matt nodded as he rose and placed the cup on the small table in front of him. "She'll have me, Carolyn." He sighed. "If she still wants me. She'll have me."

As Matt crossed the room and entered the bedroom where Kitty was, Carolyn sighed with a soft smile. "She'll have you, Marshal because she never stopped wanting you."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Matt stomped into the jail and slammed his hat on the peg by the door. Tired and frustrated he walked over to the stove praying there was some coffee left in the pot. Cold or not wouldn't matter. For once that day, he was in luck. Not only was there coffee but it was hot and actually smelled fresh.

Doc stepped in just as he was pouring himself a cup. "I hoped you'd get here before that sat too long. Coffee's no good if it sits too long on the fire."

"You make this?" Matt asked, taking a sip and actually enjoying the taste.

"Yeah, just a little bit ago. Thought you might appreciate a cup before we head out to the ranch."

Matt ducked his head. "Well, I do appreciate the coffee, but I can't head out there this evening. I'm expecting a reply to a couple of wires I sent and I can't leave till I get them. But Newly's going to ride out there with you. He'll be here shortly."

"Wires to where?" Doc questioned.

"Well one of them, if you must know, was to Boston. Carolyn told me that was where she was from and that she had a brother still there. She asked me if I'd wire him and tell him about her. The other one was to General Thompson in Ft. Leavenworth. I was hoping he might have heard something or know something that could help me."

"You mean help you figure out who's been giving Dawson confidential information?" Doc nodded sagely.

"Yeah," Matt sighed. "It's a long shot, I know, but I don't have much else to go on. Me and Festus and Newly have pretty much scoured Dodge and the surrounding countryside and no sign of Dawson or the man who escaped with him. Getting a hold of the man helping him just might be my only chance of finding and stopping Dawson."

"Well," Doc scrubbed his mustache, "at least Kitty and Emma are safe. Everybody still thinks they're up in my office."

'Yeah and I'm glad about that." Matt leaned against his desk. "Their safety is more important than anything."

"Oh say, that reminds me." Doc stood up abruptly. "I need to go up to my office and put a light on up there. Make everyone think someone's there."

"Oh, you don't have to worry about that," Matt told him. "I'll go up there and take care of it for you. Wouldn't hurt to have folks see me going up there anyway."

**XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**

Nathan Burke slumped against the polished bar at the Long Branch nursing a cold beer and a sore back. He had been three days sorting out and preparing a large shipment for transport, with no help and very little time in which to accomplish his task. This was his first chance to take a break and relax a little.

As he stood there, a tall army officer walked into the saloon and made his way over to the bar. "Beer, bartender." He ordered.

"Yes, sir," Floyd answered glancing at the officer curiously. Very seldom did they get the officers in. Usually only the troopers deigned to enter into such an establishment. Usually the officers did their drinking in private.

"Nice day, ain't it?" Burke asked, taking in the man's neatly trimmed uniform and the Major's insignia.

"Yes it is." The man replied. "It's obviously too early for the crowd though." He glanced meaningfully around the nearly empty barroom. "Of course, I guess most of the patrons wait until evening when the proprietress of this establishment is on hand. To be honest, that's about the only reason I'm here. I'm new to out the fort, you see, and I've heard a lot about her. I really want to see if what I've heard matches the woman."

Burke looked oddly at the soldier next to him. "Miss Hanna?" he asked. He couldn't imagine anyone wanting to see her specifically.

"Um, no," the man responded. "I don't believe that was the name I heard." The man scratched his head for a moment then smiled. "Kitty!" he said. "That's the name of the woman. I've heard she is something special."

Burke looked even more confused. "Miss Kitty? Well, she is but she hasn't been here for a year or more. Of course she did come back, but now she's gone again. I don't know if she'll ever come back, or at least come back here to the Long Branch."

The man looked at him sharply. "Oh?"

"Well, yeah." Burke turned towards the man, warming up to the gossip. I mean nothing's been said specifically, but I saw them take Miss Kitty and some other woman out of town the other night."

"You don't say?'" the man murmured. "I wonder why?" He watched Burke closely. "Perhaps she had business back east or something."

"Oh, no, Major." Burke smiled, happy to be the only one who knew something and the first to share it. "They went south west when they left here. Not sure why, only a couple of places out that way. But that's where they went."

The tall, polite officer, finished his beer, smiled at the freight agent and nodded. "Then I suppose that means the lady won't be here tonight, will she?"

Burke shook his head. "Nope, guess not."

Tossing a couple of coins on the bar, the man tipped his head to Burke. "Well, then I'll take my leave. But you have a nice day."

"Sure thing, Major. You too." Burke smiled broadly as the man turned and left.

Once the soldier left the saloon, he made his way slowly down the boardwalk, looking around him cautiously. Certain he was unobserved, he ducked quickly down the nearest alley, making his way to the edge of town.

"Well?" Wade Dawson demanded when the soldier appeared. "Is she here?"

"No," the man shook his head. "I talked to a man in the saloon that saw them take both her and the other one out of here the other day. He didn't know where they took them but said they headed southwest."

"What's southwest of here?" Dawson asked.

"As far as I know just a couple of ranches. I seldom leave the fort so I'm not really familiar with the area around here."

"What you say, we leave?" Chavez spoke up next to Dawson. "That gringo bitch is nothing. We get more like her, eh?"

Dawson glared at his partner. "I Want Her!" he said sternly.

"But she old. We get young woman, eh? Mucho pretty girls."

With one look, Chavez realized he'd said the wrong thing and shrank back from Dawson.

"We get her." Dawson snarled."She belongs to me and I want her back."

"But how do we get her back?" The soldier asked. "Like I said. We only have the direction they took her in. Besides Matt Dillon, along with his deputies, will most likely be protecting her. It would be hard to separate them in order to get to the women."

Looking back over at the soldier before him, Dawson smiled savagely. "Not if Dillon is stopped here in town, it won't."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Late that evening as Matt was making the rounds of the town, he remembered his promise to Doc to turn a lamp on, up in his office. Doc had decided to stay the night at the ranch with Kitty and Carolyn and had ridden out with Newly.

As he marched down the street towards Doc's office, the hair stood up on the back of his neck. Somebody was watching him. Who, he could only speculate.

Imperceptibly picking up his pace, he made it to the stairs and paused. If anyone were to try anything, it would be now. He would be most vulnerable on the way up those stairs.

The saloons were full, and the noise of rowdy cowboys and tinkling pianos carried down the street to where he stood but he ignored those sounds, concentrating instead on something else. The wind had picked up considerably, in the afternoon, making it difficult to hear, but he felt it. Glancing around, he saw nothing, but he wasn't fooled. Someone was there.

Casually dropping his hand to his gun, he slowly took one step, then two and began to climb the stairs. He was three steps from the top when a shot rang out. Swiftly he turned, ducked and pulled his own gun. A bullet missed him by a mere fraction of an inch.

Firing rapidly in the direction of the shot, he heard a groan and a loud thud. Several lanterns were lit and somewhere down the street a dog started barking furiously at the racket. Matt sprang back down the stairs and ran to where he saw a figure sprawled in the dust of Front Street.

It was Sgt. Clark dressed in a Major's uniform. Ashen faced and barely breathing, Clark lay there, staring up at the man he was supposed to have shot. "Knew it wouldn't… work." He gasped. "But... had.. to try."

Matt knelt down beside him, grasping his shirt collar, he pulled him close. "Where's Dawson?" He demanded, shaking the dying man. "Where is he?" He had no doubt this was the man that had been helping the outlaw all this time.

"Go… going to… her." His voice faded and the light in his eyes dimmed as his head rolled to the side and he died.

"Matthew?" Festus came running up. "What happened?"

"Take care of him." Matt yelled as he stood, turned and ran down the street towards the stable. "He's going after Kitty."

**XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**

"Would you like another piece of pie, Deputy?" Carolyn offered as she rose from the supper table.

"No, Ma'am." Newly smiled. "Sure was good though. You're a mighty fine cook, Miss Horton."

"Carolyn," she smiled at him.

Newly blushed but kept his eyes on her. For some reason he couldn't identify, Carolyn was extremely attractive to him. He had thought he'd never look at another woman in that way after Patricia and yet…. "Yes, Ma'am," he returned the smile. "I mean, Carolyn." He realized he liked the sound of her name as well as her cooking.

Kitty and Doc exchanged knowing glances. Although Kitty doubted, Carolyn was quite ready for any sort of romance, considering where she'd spent the last two years of her life. She knew a certain deputy that just might be waiting when Carolyn was ready.

Just then a banging sound was heard from outside.

"What's that?" Doc asked looking over at Newly then at the two women, whose faces suddenly turned pale.

Newly stepped to the window and looked out to see the barn door open and banging against the side of the building. "The door's open on the barn." He told them. "I'll have to go out and close it. Storm like this could spook the horses and if they got out, they could go anywhere."

"Newly, no." Kitty pleaded. "Please, just let it be. We can worry about it later."

Doc, who had stepped up beside the young man looked out but could see little. "Kitty may be right, Newly." He tugged at his ear. "It's awful dark out there. No need to take chances."

Newly hesitated, understanding their reticence, but the banging of the unfastened door was irritating as well as the thought of chasing down horses in the morning. Taking a lamp, he stepped to the door and opened it a crack. Holding the lantern high he peered out into what he could see of the porch and yard beyond. The wind howled fiercely but Newly could see nothing  
that would cause alarm.

"There's nothing out there but the wind." He gave them a relieved smile. "I promise, it won't take me but a minute to fix that door." Before any further protests could be made, he stepped out onto the porch and started towards the barn.

Kitty gave Doc a frightened glance as she waited for Newly to return. "It'll be alright, Kitty." Doc patted her on the hand as he led her over to the couch. "You sit down here and relax. Newly'll be back in a minute."

Just then, Emma began to whimper and cry, causing Kitty to start back up. "You sit right back down there," Carolyn told her as she hurriedly crossed the room to the large basket, serving as a makeshift crib for the baby. "It's probably just a wet diaper. I'll take care of her."

Kitty nodded and returned to her seat, praying Newly would hurry up and return.

Outside Newly took a quick look inside the barn, satisfied himself that the animals were all still there and safe, and came out, firmly securing the door behind him. He only took a few steps towards the house however, when the lights went out and he crumpled to the ground.

"Takes care of him." Chavez grunted with a grin. "Now we get the woman and we go."

"Not so fast," Dawson pulled him back. "We don't know how many is in the house or how well armed. I came here for Kitty and I'm going to get her, but I'm not going to get killed doing it. Grab that deputy and hold him up."

As Chavez pulled Newly up to his feet, Dawson picked up the lantern and held it aloft. Yelling to be heard above the wind, he called out. "Kitty!"

Kitty froze and what little color she had in her face, quickly drained as she pulled herself to her feet and crossed to the window. There in the yard, illuminated by the wildly flickering lantern and the pale moonlight, was her worst nightmare. Dawson and Chavez with a barely conscious Newly between them. A gun pointed straight at his head.

"You don't want this boy and everyone in that house to die, you'd best come out here." Dawson threatened. "Got me a friend in town taking care of your Marshal. So don't be thinking he'll be coming to your rescue."

Kitty gasped and pulled away, looking around the room at Doc and Carolyn but her eyes centered on her daughter. "I've got to do it." She said moving towards the door.

"Kitty, no." Doc reached for her arm. "You know what he'll do, if you go out there."

Kitty smiled sadly at him as she pulled her arm free. "I know what he'll do, if I don't."

'Kitty…"

Impulsively, Kitty threw her arms around him, hugging him tightly for a moment before releasing him. Glancing over at Carolyn standing guardedly by the crib, she gave a nod. "Take care of Emma." She said as she opened the door and stepped out.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Matt pushed the big buckskin hard as he raced madly across the prairie praying fervently he could get there in time.

Normally in tune with a dynamic gut instinct that told him when something wasn't right or those he cared about were in trouble, he had known nothing was amiss until Sgt. Clark dressed in Major Higgins uniform had tried to ambush him.

He sent a quick missive towards the heavens that Kitty and the rest of the folks out at the ranch didn't pay for it.

%%%%%%%%%%%%

Kitty swallowed her fear and took determined steps out onto the porch. "Let him go." She forced a calm authority into her voice and figure as she stood rigidly on the porch staring at the three men in the yard.

Dawson grinned but he didn't let of his gun or his grip on Newly. "Come here." He demanded.

"Uh huh," she shook her head. "Let him go first." Her stanch and her expression remained neutral though inside she was quaking.

"I don't think you understand," he snarled. "I own the cards here. You come here or he dies." He took a step towards the porch.

"I said no, Dawson." She said loudly and coldly. "You let him go and I will come with you and do what ever you want. No problems. You kill him, and I swear, even if you take me, I will find a way to kill either you or myself one. I promise, you won't enjoy what you get."

Dawson studied her for a moment. He didn't believe she was bluffing. Raising one hand, he shrugged. Pulling Newly from Chavez's grip, he pushed the dazed young man forward and to the ground.

Kitty took two steps forward and knelt down beside her friend. "It'll be alright, Newly." Standing back up she stared at Dawson but made no further move towards him. It would perhaps be her last victory, but she would not go to him. He would have to come to her.

Grinning broadly, Dawson started towards her only to be halted by a well-aimed shot and a gruff voice. "Hold it, right there."

Matt stepped around the side of the house into the pale light of the porch lamp. Gun up and ready, he aimed it squarely at Dawson's head. "Drop your guns," he demanded. Glancing at Kitty, his stony expression and tone of voice softened for a moment. "Kitty, come back here by me."

Chavez swallowed hard and glanced about. One man, he thought. Only one man to stop him. Quickly he grabbed for his gun but Matt was quicker. Chavez kicked once at the barn yard dust then lay still. Dawson froze. Staring at first Kitty then Matt, he decided to gamble.

Throwing himself across the small distance, he grabbed for Kitty, catching her arm as she turned for Matt. "You're going with me," he growled.

"Let her go," Matt yelled over the wind and panic that was trying to overtake him.

Dawson pulled Kitty tightly up against him, arm around her throat. "No big man." His grin reappeared. "She's mine and I never give up what's mine."

Kitty gasped as she struggled against the strangling hold, Dawson had on her. Futilely, she jabbed her elbow into his side but he gave no indication that he even felt it. "Please," she pleaded, causing him to laugh.

"You should know by now," he whispered into her ear. "Your begging won't get you nowhere."

Matt, gun still squarely pointed at the cold hard hearted man edged towards them. He couldn't get a clear shot with Kitty in the bandits arms.

Dawson saw his movement. "I will not hesitate to kill her, big man."

Matt lowered his gun a fraction of an inch.

"He's going to kill me anyway." Kitty yelled. "Shoot, Matt."

But Matt couldn't do it. He wouldn't take the risk. Besides right then he saw a way out.

Dragging Kitty backwards, Dawson increased the pressure against her windpipe causing her to be lightheaded. Weak and dizzy she stopped fighting. Darkness overtook her just as Dawson suddenly released his grasp of her and fell backwards to the ground, Kitty falling atop of him.

Matt sprang across the yard and pulled Kitty into his arms, as Newly waveringly stood above Dawson, Chavez's gun still in his hand. "Good shot, Newly." Matt said as he bent down to pick Kitty up.

"I got lucky," Newly stated. "He was watching you, not me."

Matt noticed the blood on Newly's temple. "You okay?"

Placing his hand against the lump on the side of his head Newly nodded. "I'll be alright, Marshal. Get Miss Kitty inside and I'll take care of these two."

"I reckon I'm a little late to the party, Newly." Festus said walking quickly to his side. "But I'm chere now. You go on in with Matthew and Miss Kitty. I'll take keer of these here yahoos."

Noticing the expressions on the two men's faces, Festus ducked his head. "I got that there soldier feller took care of, Matthew, then I grabbed ol' Ruth and come on out. I figured ya might need some hep. Peers I'm a day late and a dollar short though."

Newly grinned as he swayed unsteadily on his feet. "Festus, I'd say you got here right on time."

"Aw fiddle," the hill man blushed as the Newly followed Matt and Kitty into the house.

Doc was hovering right inside the door as they entered and wasted no time in giving directions. "Newly, you go on and sit down over there and Matt, take Kitty into the bedroom. Carolyn, can you…." He paused when he saw she was already by Newly's side, gently pressing a wet cloth to his head. "Guess you can." He grinned as he grabbed his bag and shuffled into the bedroom.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

The old clock is ticking now  
Marks the space between us  
Your memory enshrouds my heart  
For I am held a captive  
  
Sometimes my soul desires  
To take leave of this old world  
To spread these golden wings and fly  
To the city of angels  
  
But then if I close my eyes  
I can see you standing there  
Your face in permanence smiles  
Your lips a chalice  
  
Seems like I've loved you all my life  
Never thought I'd find you  
One day the muse may lend these words wings  
So I can touch you,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,The Captive Heart by Brendan Perry

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Matt stood back as Doc carefully examined Kitty, worry clearly written on the lawman's face. "Doc?"

Doc tugged at his ear as he sat, pulling the cover up over his patient. "She just fainted, Matt." He told him. "The bastard had an awful tight hold of her throat. She's gonna have a heck of a bruise and a sore throat for a while but she'll be alright."

Matt breathed a sigh of relief. "Maybe you oughta go out and check on Newly." He suggested.

Doc suppressed his grin and nodded. "Think I will." He said.

Matt sat down beside Kitty and took her hand. Saying nothing, he was content, for the moment, just to watch her. Only a week prior, he had thought never to see her again. Now he was determined he would never be away from her.

Kitty took a deep breath and coughed slightly as she slowly regained her senses. Opening her eyes she saw Matt beside her, watching her closely, an unreadable expression on his face. "What happened?" she started to rise, thinking of the villain who had tried to destroy her.

"Nothing for you to worry about." Matt pressed her shoulders back to the pillow.

"Dawson," she whispered over sore vocal cords.

"He's dead, Kitty." Matt told her. "Newly shot him."

"Is Newly alright then?"

Matt grinned. "Yes. He is and you are and so is everybody else, thanks to you. You're completely safe now. You're safe and you're home."

Kitty looked down without replying. She wanted to believe that but…

Matt placed a finger under her chin and raised her eyes to his. "We have a lot of things to talk about and a lot of things to straighten out," he told her. "And we will do it. And I'm not wanting you to rush into anything but I want you to think about our future. Yours, Emma's and mine."

"Until the last few days," she said softly, suppressing a sob, "I didn't think Emma and I had a future."

Matt looked down, trying to find the right words to make her understand how he felt, a task that had always been difficult for stoic lawman. "You do with me," he said finally. "If you want it."

When Kitty didn't answer, Matt rose and ran a hand through his hair, pacing the room. "Kitty, I'm no good with words and you know that. I've always been more comfortable with doing rather than talking. But I need you to understand something here."

He turned to see she was watching him intently, waiting for him to say something that would make the past year go away and put their lives back on the right track. Placing a hand behind his neck he returned to pacing, the action of which calmed him and made it easier for him to say what he needed to.

"Kitty, for the past year you weren't the only one who was held captive here. While Dawson held your body, you held my heart. I couldn't go forward and I couldn't go back. Every day I just went through the motions because you weren't here."

Kitty ducked her head, unable any longer to look at him. She still felt guilty for taking her ill-fated trip. Matt understood and prayed he could say the right thing to take that unwarranted guilt away from her.

Sitting back down beside her he took her hand and held it tightly. "No matter what you think," he said quietly, "you are not to blame for what happened."

Kitty looked up. "But I am!" she insisted. "If I'd just stayed here. If…."

"Kitty, you can't shoulder the whole thing." He said rather sternly. "If you want to go in that direction than we all are to blame for Dawson taking you. Me for choosing this badge instead of you, Doc for not noticing you were pregnant and telling me, Festus for seeing you get on that stage but not trying to stop you. I'm sure if we look hard enough we can even find a reason for ol' Buck out there to share in the guilt."

Kitty smiled before she could stop herself.

Matt tugged on her hand. "You and I both made some decisions that, in retrospect, weren't good. I should've left this badge off and when I found out that you had left, I should've gone after you. When you realized you were pregnant you should've pinned me to the wall until I listened to you instead of taking off to think things over. But we can't do anything about that now, honey. It's water under the bridge. We can however, change the future. If you want to."

Tears, she swore she wouldn't shed, flowed down her cheeks as she looked at the man she loved more than life itself. She had wanted this for more than half her life but now she was unsure. Could he really be asking?

"Matt," she asked tentatively. "Are you asking me to marry you?"

"Yes, Ma'am." Matt answered softly. "I know my timing's not good and I don't expect you to say yes immediately. I expect we still got some more talking to do and some work to do between us, but when you're ready; I surely would like to marry you, Miss Kitty."

Kitty didn't answer immediately and Matt swallowed hard, afraid she would say no. "Kitty, please. Think about Emma. She deserves to have both of her parents in her life. I havn't had a chance to get to know her like you and I want that chance. Besides I'm kinda looking forward to spoiling her."

Kitty smiled mischievously. "She the only one?"

Matt grinned broadly. "Nope, I plan on spoiling her mama too, if she'll let me."

Kitty grinned. "Oh, I think she would."

"Then are you saying you'll marry me?" He swallowed hard, still fearful she might yet say no.

Pulling on the hand that still held hers, Kitty wrapped her arms around him, holding onto him tightly. "Yes," she whispered.

The End

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

**EPILOGUE**

The day was cold but clear, the sun shining gloriously in the heavens above as Kitty sat nervously fidgeting while Carolyn tried yet again to finish her hair. 

 

“Kitty, you have to sit still.” Carolyn said exasperated at having to pin the same curl for the third time in a row. 

“I’m sorry,” Kitty tried sitting still and picked at her fingers instead.  “It’s just that….”

Carolyn grinned.  “It’s just that you’re nervous.  But honestly, Kitty.  Why?  It’s not like you don’t know the man.  You have a child together for heaven’s sake.”

Kitty blushed and dropped her head, causing Carolyn to once again drop the curl in her hand.  “Kitty!”

Kitty pulled her back up.  “I’m sorry,” she mumbled.

Carolyn stopped for a moment and looked at Kitty through the mirror.  “You’re worried about tonight, aren’t you?”

Kitty looked away without answering but Carolyn understood.  In the six months she had been in Dodge, she and Newly had become very close.  But even so she wasn’t so sure herself about any sort of intimate contact.  Sighing deeply, she turned Kitty to look at her directly.  “Kitty, Matt is not going to pressure you.  If you can’t…. well, you know, he won’t care as long as you are with him.”

Kitty wiped away a tear that had escaped her defenses and nodded.  “I know,” she said.  “But I want it so bad and I just keep thinking what if…  I would be mortified.”

“Kitty,” Carolyn spoke softly.  “You’re worrying about something that hasn’t even happened yet.  Let’s get through the wedding first, huh?”

Just then a light rap came at the door.  Hannah poked her head in and smiled at how beautiful her friend was.  “You about ready?” she asked.

“NO!” Both Kitty and Carolyn responded at the same time. 

“It’ll just a few minutes more,” Kitty told her apologetically, hastily wiping another tear.

“That is if I can get Nervous Nelly here, to sit still Carolyn grumbled. 

Hannah laughed.  “Well Doc will be downstairs waiting on you.” 

“How’s Emma?” Kitty asked.  Hannah had agreed to keep the child downstairs while Kitty got ready.

“She’s fine.” Hannah smiled thinking of the child that had so captured the hearts of everyone in Dodge in the past six months.  “She’s not nervous at all.”  Chuckling again she ducked out of the room and headed back down stairs.

Doc was waiting at the foot of the stairs, dressed in his best suit, hat in hand.  “She coming?”

“She’ll be down in a minute.” Hannah smiled.  “You know I don’t think I’ve ever seen a prettier bride.”

Doc nodded and smiled.  “There has never been a prettier woman in Dodge, Hannah.  Well except for ……” He stopped thinking of his Sam.

Hannah patted his hand.  “She must’ve been something for you to compare her to Kitty.”

“She was,” Doc agreed.  “She was.”

Over at the church, Matt paced around the small chapel waiting anxiously for this thing to get started.  Glancing yet again at the doorway waiting for Kitty.

Reaching in his pocket he pulled out the small black box and once again looked at the ring nestled there.  He had bought the ring several years ago with just this occasion in mind.  But at the time, events occurred that prevented its use. 

“Everything is ready, Marshal.”  Reverend Tucker stepped up next to him.  “The guests are becoming to come in and the organist is ready.  But I don’t seem to see the bride.”

“Me neither.” Matt looked at the doorway again.  “But I’m sure she’ll be here shortly.  She’s never been one to rush getting dressed.”

The Reverend smiled, patted Matt on the back and stepped away as Festus stepped up next to him.  “Shore is a passel of folks here, Matthew.”

Matt nodded looking all the friends who had gathered.

“It’s a long time, comin’,” Festus said, “guess folks just don’t want to miss it none.  Ya know, Matthew, you’re getting the best shemale in all of Dodge.”

Matt smiled at that and nodded.  “That is true, Festus, and don’t I know it.”

“A’hem,” the Reverend cleared his throat drawing Matt’s attention.  “I think it’s about time.” He whispered nodding his head to the door.

As the music started, Matt looked up to see Carolyn walking slowly down the aisle, carrying Emma.  Smiling sweetly she whispered to him when passed him to take her place as Maiden of Honor.  “She’s on her way and she’s beautiful.”

The music changed tempo just then and Matt’s breathing picked up pace in time to it as he looked again towards the door to see a vision in ivory lace and pearls glide down the aisle towards him.  He thought he’d never seen a more beautiful sight.

Kitty smiled happily as she walked down the aisle on Doc’s arm.  The man she had waited half a lifetime for was waiting down at the end and she could see no one but the handsome cowboy who had taken her heart so many years ago.

When she finally reached him and Doc had handed her over, tears streamed down her face.  Looking up at Matt she smiled through the tears.  “I love you.” She whispered.

“I love you too,” he returned as he took her hand and their new lives together began.

The Real End


End file.
